Summary
Titled "Baalbeck Remembers Oum Kalthoum," the show brought together Egyptian vocalists Marwa Nagy and Mai Farouk, alongside the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental-Arabic Music, led by Egypt's Hisham Gabr.
As is appropriate for an Oum Kalthoum tribute, all the songs were played out in full.
Farouk's voice – a slightly more mature set of pipes with a beautiful vibrato quality – was a quick winner with the Heliopolis crowd, who felt she emulated Oum Kalthoum stunningly.
The song's instrumental first part gave the orchestra the opportunity to shine, with an impressive violin solo included.
The show closed with the romantic "Ragaouni Aynek," allowing Farouk to show off the various qualities of her voice – sometimes bold and powerful, other times airy and sweet.
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